The invention relates generally to seating technology. More specifically, the invention relates to latch systems which allow for a seat assembly to be selectively repositioned and/or reconfigured within a vehicle.
Vehicle manufacturers are continually striving to provide improved convenience features in motor vehicles, including features relating to seating technology. In continuing, with this trend, many vehicles such as sport utility vehicles and mini-vans are provided with sophisticated second and/or third row seat assemblies configured to move between a use position and a non-seating position (e.g., a non-use position, a stowed position, etc.), and/or that may be removable from the vehicle. Such flexibility in a seating system is generally intended to permit the cargo carrying capacity of the vehicle to be increased.
While the current trend is to focus on stowing and/or removing seat assemblies relative to the vehicle structure, it may be advantageous to provide a seating system that can allow a seat assembly to be selectively positioned within the vehicle in addition to being capable of being stowed and/or removed. For example, if multiple seat assemblies are provided in vehicle, and certain seat assemblies are stowed and/or removed to increase the cargo carrying capacity of the vehicle, it may be desirable to reposition any remaining seat assemblies to more convenient locations. The repositioning of a seat assembly would be greatly simplified if the seat assembly could remain engaged with the vehicle as it is being moved to a new position. Repositioning would further be simplified if the seat assembly could be moved while supporting a seat occupant.
Accordingly, there is a need for a latch system that can allow a seat assembly to be selectively repositioned in a vehicle while remaining engaged with the vehicle structure. There is also a need for a latch system that can reduce the likelihood that a seat assembly will disengage the vehicle structure as the seat assembly is being selectively repositioned. There is also a need for a latch system that can provide for the lateral movement of seat assembly relative to the vehicle structure. There is also a need for a latch system that includes a feature that is intended to prevent a seat assembly from being removed from the vehicle until the seat assembly is moved into a non-seating position. There is also a need for a seating system having a latch system that accomplishes one or more of the above-mentioned needs.
It would be desirable to provide a latch system and/or a seating system that provides one or more of these or other advantageous features. Other features and advantages will be made apparent from the present specification. The teachings disclosed extend to those embodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the above-mentioned needs.